An Alternate Path
by Yopkyu
Summary: Awakened beings aren't evil, most humans just perceive them to be. Clare takes up on Riful's offer, to join her and aid Riful in war, and in return Riful will grant Clare, her wish, her revenge, Teresa's salvation,  Piscalla's death.
1. Readers Notes

Dear Readers,

Hello! I am YoPQ, I am brand new to writing fan fiction and blah blah. Yes you don't care, but I wish to make a few things about this story clear.

First of all, this story will start off with the scene before Clare meets Riful and Jean, just after the time skip and when Clare is pretending to be a guy looking for Raki. From there on, this story will NOT stick to the manga or anime, although I may mention some characters. Because I am doing most of the story telling off the top of my head, so some pieces of information may not be entirely accurate, and I won't mind people telling me off.

On top of not staying canon, I will also not write and glossary for terms in this story that have appeared and explained in the actual manga/anime, after all, this is fan fiction no point in retelling what most people already know right? Although if you do not understand what I have written, feel free to ask me via w/e... which I doubt cause you'll stop reading at the end of this... :\

Umm, what else. O yeah, feel free to troll me. I love trolls. And need umm, a better name that 'alternate path' for this story.

I also need someone to beta-read or help proof read. Otherwise it's bound to have lots of grammatical mistakes that I, myself will not pick up. Reason? Simple, cause I fail. ):

Letting you poeple know about my writing style and a few things (shortcuts. ^o^) I'll use to represent stuff. When I think of one, I'll add it to the list below.

-_Italic:_ Mainly for people's thoughts, but at times flashbacks

-The Symbol ~oOo~: This means a quick scene change, possible a time skip, even though it may be short.

-More to come!

Anyways the following will apply for all future chapters.

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CLAYMORE OR ANYTHING… w/e, you get it.**

So enjoy.


	2. Into the Lair

**CHAPTER 1: Into the lair**

* * *

><p>The silver haired witch stumbled along the stoned pathway, with blood shadowing her path. Ignoring the curious and frightened murmurs of the civilians, as their gaze shifted onto her. The whole city square went silent. The Claymore, even though her entire left side of her torso, and arms were missing, still continued to struggle forward, desperately crying out, "Someone, please… the organization…please… my comrades are…" then suddenly fell. A figure that was within the crowd, with hair tied back in a short ponytail, ash-blonde hair caught the falling Claymore.<p>

Ignoring the blood that came from the obviously painful wound, the near-death Claymore begged, "They're still alive… for some reason they are being kept alive, the enemy must be plotting something. I beg you… save them." Loosening the grip on the person, the now limp Claymore shifted all the responsibilities of her friend's lives into the stranger's hands, Clare's hands.

Clare ignored the shocks of the civilians as she revealed her former identity, the organization's number 47, Clare.

~oOo~

Clare used her fairly advanced yoki sensing abilities to track back to where she needed to head, the awakened beast's lair. To be honest, Clare was frightened to face this beast. Although she had seen 'her' and fought one alongside with Maria, Deneve and Helen, going alone after these gruesome encounters was stupid, very. Thanks to Clare's sense of duty, she was going to save her comrades even though risking her death and thus not only giving up on her goals in life, but disappointing many others who put their faith in her.

Still, she continued. Being stopped by a group of yoma acting as innocent villagers, Clare easier saw through their disguise and took the first move. Though to her new techniques she had been taught by Irene, these yoma were nothing, but something was off. "Such co-ordinated movements, this isn't like you at all, what are you plotting…" she wasn't in particular talking to the bunch of yoma which ignored her question before the delay of the slashed cause up and they were sliced into pieces. "Just what is going on here?"

"Ok, let's try driving one more in." A childish voice commanded, and the sound echoed through-out the hidden ruins. A yoma in the form of a bulky man extracted a pillar from his shoulder, which he penetrated mercilessly through the arm of one of the two Claymores that remained hanging by the arms. The little girl continued, "Hm, that's weird, it looks like you should be awakening really soon… but…you really are stubborn. If you don't, you'll end up riddled with holes and died like her," and indicated a dead claymore, puncture wounds all over her body and face resting on the cold floor.

The little girl pestered the two continuously to awaken, until one, which went by the name of Katea started to release yoki. Slowly, Katea was giving in to the urge to release her yoma powers. The little girl was delighted as she encouraged the transformation.

Before long, her excitement was dulled by the yoma, now showing some of his yoma features claimed, "Nope, it's no good, this one isn't strong at all." She frowned before regaining her childish posture.

"Break her then" The yoma obeyed and his clenched fist splattered the now dead, former claymore, now awakened being. Jean, number 9, which was still in the shackles, was in utter shock, being the last one of the original four that was sent here, was the only one left alive, and without a doubt awakened.

Duph quickly pointed out a new approaching visitor to their lair, and went out to greet her with the girl's permission.

~oOo~

Entering the lair, Clare looked around at the eerie hallway of the ruins, quickly noting that the entire place was coaxed in yoki, and walls impaled with pulsing rods. Quickly dispatching a surprise attack by a group of weak yoma, one of the surviving one ran for its life, but its path was disrupted by a giant hand appearing from under the hallway and crushing it.

After crawling out the hole it made in the floor, Duph, now in his full form, stood in the hallway, with his now fully transformed form, which also unfortunately blocked his movements. While Clare took this opportunity, it turned out that her slashed were ineffective on the beast.

Trying again, the yoma unfortunately cause her blade between his eyelids, and quickly using his now mobile hands to strike where Clare should have been, saving herself from being squashed by Duph's strength, but ditching her sword. Duph laughed and said, "What is a warrior that's given up on their sword!" before reopening his eyes and let the blade fall.

Clare dashed forward to retrieve the sword. "Trap!" Duph claimed, and Clare herself claimed the same thing before countering with her flash sword technique.

The move rendered useless against the awakened being, but it still had some effect, as Duph screamed, "That hurt! That's it, I'm not going to forgive you anymore!"

From his mouth he formed a large rod, which then he shot as a projectile which knocked straight into the Claymore which took the rod head on. The force of the projectile sent her flying and she grunted as she landed on the side of her body. "aand nunver coo," without being able to pronounce the words properly as another rod was formed in his mouth and fired, this time landing straight into her legs, disabling her movements. Duph laughed in triumph as he picked Clare up by the head, ready to strip and…

No, unfortunately there was no other Claymore to some to the scene as her saviour, to rescue Clare, and no number three that tracked her into the ruins to help her face these beasts. Instead, the girl appeared with an innocent smile, "Duph, chain her up, maybe she can hopefully produce new results, I mean it'll be bad if you kill her now, I have some plans for her."

~oOo~

Clare opened her eyes, and scanned the room that she was it. She tried to bring her arm to clear her eyes of itching dirt before noticing she couldn't due to the fact that they were chained to shackles which hung from the ceiling.

Recalling her memories of why she was here, she inhaled rapidly causing it to make a hiccupping sound. The sudden sound of movement caused her to look up again to spot a young girl and Duph. Number 9, Jean was also chained next to her, obviously the one of the members of the awakened-being hunting group.

"What's going on here?" Clare asked desperately, with her legs in their current state, it would take a long time for them to regenerate before she can even hope of escape from here, alive. Jean, unable to reply through the pain merely grunted as the little girl answered her question.

"O, nothing much I merely want you to awaken for me. Is that asking too much?" The girl smiled, asking it as if it was one of the most frequently asked questions in everyday life.

"Who would want that?" Clare replied harshly, "and why would you want us to awaken? And are you the leader being all these groups of yoma?"

"My, my, curious are we, sorry, but I don't really care if you awaken or not. What I really want is the single digit to awaken." She stated, "and you're here to help." Swinging her legs back and forth from the throne she was sitting on like the child she was, Duph produced a rod and gruesomely twisted it as it pierced though Clare's leg. "If you don't want her to die eventually, you might want to awaken Jean." She directed at Jean.

"You bastard…" Jean answered in a whisper. Forced to choose between one, for the new Claymore to die a torturous death with her as well as risking a chance for both of them awakening, or awaken now, and save the new Claymore but lose her humanity. All in all, a lose-lose situation. The scream of her fellow comrade stopped the train of thoughts and she just kept silent.

"Please, just awaken, I don't really don't want to kill either of you if that is possible." The girl said innocently, her look was so innocent that it was almost funny hearing her say that.

Duph continued this torture, and momentary fluctuations in Clare's yoki was proving her to be nearing her limit, while Jean was hung there regenerating her wounds, which inevitable will reopen very soon.

~oOo~

Clare was stubborn, she was there taking the torture, and in spite of this hopeless situation, she hoped, hoped and prayed to whatever god that was out there to somehow rescue her. The things she had to do in her life could be counted with her two thumbs. Say goodbye to Raki and kill Priscilla, even though the latter was something Clare herself may not achieve, and she fully understands, she couldn't die here. Giving up here would mean throwing away everything she had up to here, most importantly, revenge for Teresa. Or was it? Her mind kept jumping from sane to insane. The continuous pulses of yoki energy in the rods that were mercilessly shoved through the body this torture ever more so agonizing and the pacing pulses of yoki made it even harder to supress the feeling to just give into the urge and let the yoma blood inside take over.

Jean just watched, she herself was still supressing the feeling of going over the limit, it wasn't like number nine could do anything against an abyssal one.

_What can I do? I won't last any longer, damn… These rods… the screw around with my rational thinking. Why, why me? I still have these important things to do in my does it have to end like this. Will I end up… NO! I will not! Just have to… have to_ Clare hopelessly debated in her mind.

"How stubborn." The girl frowned, "I just wanted you to be my allies, but if you don't awaken, you'll be too weak. Even if you awake you may not be strong enough and they will render useless in a fight."

"What do you mean, how can awakened being be useless," Clare asked as well as thinking, _Useless awakened beings? Even 'weak' ones require four Claymores to take down, and how strong are the people she will be fighting?_

"You see, Isley in the north has been acting all cocky ever since he found his woman and planning to come down and take over South, and inevitably over here. Possible even the east where the organization is situated. That one-horned woman, seriously, ever since she appeared out of nowhere…"

Suddenly Clare's yoki energy went well over the limit, but Clare was obviously holding back the transformation. "Is it Priscilla?" She managed to say through harsh panting.

The girl rose an eye-brow, "How did you know?" and suddenly the girl caught on. "I see, if you join and get that friend of yours, I'll guarantee you a chance to have a go at her, though that's all I can offer."

Although sparks of yoki was circling around Clare, she still had control and still retaining her head through sheer willpower. "How do I know you'll keep your word?"

Jean who was originally just a 'spectator' cried out, "No don't trust them! You can't! She is going to trick you then kill you when you awake! Katea… she…"

"I will kill you if you are weak." The girl simply stated, "but I assure you, if your awakened form is weak, then you won't get near Priscilla yet alone her, so what do you say? Why don't you join my ranks?"

The offer tempted Clare so badly, it meant that she could get out of this torture and at least have the opportunity to avenge her idol, Teresa, if the girl was not lying. If she didn't accept the offer, well then either she dies, or awakens anyway. _But people will think… I promised Raki…O well…_

Clare went well past her limit, releasing wild yoki that swirled around her and brightly lit the chamber which she was enclosed in. There was a weird feeling stirring inside of her, something inside of her which she failed to comprehend. It felt like she wasn't herself…

Jean tried to persuade, "now is your chance, stop and escape!"

_Escape? O look, I'm released from the chains… _the most surprising thing was that she didn't notice Duph unlock them. The girl only smiled, waiting for anticipated for future events to unfold before her.

"No, don't! Don't awaken or all you did would be for naught!" Jean continued

_All I did would be for nothing… all I did…_ Clare pondered in like a dream like state. _What did I do? I haven't done anything that I needed to do… _Clare remained in the state of debating whether she should awake, due to being half-awakened already, her instincts told her to supress the energy, though there was definite physical changes happening. Her eye pupils became slitted, her teeth sharpened and her skin darkened into a greyish brown colour.

"Having second thoughts?" the girl asked curiously, "what are you having doubts about? If you ally with me, it's not like you're under my control. Though there are the extremely weak yoma that just obey me doesn't mean you do. I also don't want weak awakened beings. One awakened being attracts much more attention that several weak yoma. Everything clear now?" keeping on her normal child façade and cocked her head to the side while smiling.

_What is there to doubt anyways?_

"No don't!" Jean gave one final cry before Clare went fully over the limit, with all intentions to awaken on purpose. The ruins shook with the energy Clare's transformation was creating, the blinding light caused Jean to look away to prevent herself from being blind by the light while the girl stared in amusement.

* * *

><p>Ok, First Chapter Done. This was originally 2 chapters, because it was so short, I merged them. Smart ain't I? (:<p>

Hope you enjoyed it and yeah, w/e.

):

I apologize chapters are short. But! But, but, but, that is because I don't have a plan, and I just write whatever comes to mind at the time and don't have a clear plot. (Yes, I've said that so many times.)

Btw, what do you think about me killing Raki? And, I plan to stop calling Riful, 'the girl' now. Just because I'm mainly writing from Clare's POV... even though it's 3rd person, (*Scratches head*), and Riful's name hasn't been revealed to her yet. I'm going to introduce Riful to Clare next chapter.

Duph, Dauf, Duff. Different ways of spelling the same name, I just chose the one that I did. No particular reason. Some poeple also spell Clare, Clair, or whatever, it's not a big issue, but just pointing it out so you guys know that I won't be introducing an OC, if so I will tell in at the end of the chapter, otherwise, be logical and think.

***SPOILER***

Personally, I don't like Raki, in the anime, I find him useless, and yeah. (No, don't say he saved Clare from awakening. I wanted her to awake and go crazy!) and in the manga, he seems stronger, but just because he can kill some Yoma with the help of Priscilla (only sensing them), he still seems like the kid he was 7 years ago when he was still a child.

***SPOILER END***

So I have decided, I will not update on a scheduled basis, I will update whenever I finish a scene or something that can be posted, and until I think of a plot, or get a suggestion I like, then most likely the chapters will be extremely short. Like the ones I have written so far.

Also, I know my writing is crap, I BEG poeple to point out my mistakes, and tell me through whatever means (E-mail, PM, Review), I mean I'm writing this mainly because it helps me "unleash [my] imagination", but it helps if people can understand my writing.

Hahaha, see what I did there? See, See?

Lame right. Anyways...yeah, once again I apologize for my s*** writing. Rated T so I avoid swearing.


	3. Dinner for One

CHAPTER 2: Dinner for one

The light began to dull, revealing an awesome beast behind it. The Claymore's features had manifested into something entirely different.

Clare's left arm was replaced by several glowing bladed arms which sprouted from the shoulder area and spanned like wings that reached the side of the room, its length similar to Duph's height. Due to the different yoma blood that was originally in Irene's arm, which Clare claimed as hers now, produced rather different results. Mutating off what was originally Irene's arm were appendages that looked like diamond chains which slightly curled backwards towards her back, making the metamorphosed arm look like a rigged shark fin.

Her knees were odd, but obviously designed for speed, silvery bone jutting out backwards and forward from the leg to provide acceleration, the way the bones were structured made Clare's standing position look like she was half crouching. The torso and upper legs still retained a humanoid shape and her original womanly figure. The silver Claymore clothing and gear were shredded to pieces, and the shoulder-guards were still wobbling from their fall. There was obvious changes to her body, although she still had a human torso, the skin which was fully exposed was obviously different, it looked transparent, yet also glowed with a tint of silvery-blue.

Another obvious growth was the demonic-like tail that was swinging slowly from side to side behind all her other new features. The barbed tail was no longer than the appendages that mutated from the left side, but it still looked ever so dangerous.

She was also a few heads taller than she was before, which was awfully small for an awakened being, but judging from her current appearance, she was more of the speed type rather than a bulky monster.

Clare's hair colour changed back to its once lost brown-maroon shade, but instead of being all neatly combed, it was wild and flared everywhere. The face was mostly covered by the hair, but through a small gap between stands of hair, there was a single yellow eye that gazed back at Jean.

~oOo~

Outside of the city where two bystanders watched a dead Claymore with half a body being buried, it was a careless job. Men just quickly dug a hole and shoveled the dirt quick back to cover the body. Normal humans avoid and hate the silver-eyed witches, and only called upon them as a last resort. Even as a last resort, humans seem to hate, or was it, fear, them more than actual yoma's.

Humans are scared of the unknown, and although humans are mainly ignorant and knew little about yoma, at least they fully and truly understood what they did, prey on them. They knew that, and they know to avoid them, but Claymores on the other hand was a complete mystery. These 'silver eyed' witches only appeared when there is a job sent to the organization ordering the execution of a yoma or two, completing their job, they would not even accept the gratitude of the town's people.

"I am only completing my job, give the money to the suspicious man cloaked in black," a normal Claymore would say. This freaks out the citizens to no end, Claymores were obviously not human, did not want rewards or money in any way, which always leaves an unsolved clouded mystery about them.

The actions of Claymores led to being more feared than yoma in certain cases from a human perspective.

The group of young men gave the grave a quit pat with the back of their shovel, for no particular reason before they headed back towards the city.

Number three, Galatea, watched as the group of men retreated back home, before sensing an enormous yoki. Although she was well away, due to her speciality to be a sensory type, the amount that was released and the distance, made her feel was of little importance, and for once in her life, frightened. _Someone just awoke…_ she thought to herself, the amount clouded all other yoki, even the few roaming yoma that was hanging around the city were blurred and diluted by the massive yoki, it was impossible to pinpoint the source due to the sheer size and inconsistent flow of yoma power. _I guess it's best to report back to the organization and warn them of a claymore's awakening, with yoki equivalent to that of an abyssal one. Number 47's case can wait, I can't even sense anything through this mess. _

Quickly turning her back to the source, she headed east towards the base of the organization, knowing that it would be impossible to deal with this situation.

~oOo~

The cicadas that were normally polluting the night were now silent, only the very quiet sound of footsteps were heard. A twig snapped before suddenly a whizzing sound was produced, followed shortly by something quickly falling into a small puddle of purple blood.

Number six quickly dispatched the yoma that tried to ambush her during her sleep. Miria was well aware of the presence of the low-class yoma before it even neared her. Claymores are always on high alert, or at least, they were supposed to be.

Another set of footsteps soon followed the dead yoma's, but these incautious steps obviously belonged to one that Miria was familiar with. Through the dim moonlight, a black cloaked figure, obviously man by his voice spoke to Miria simply.

"Cancel your current mission, you are to lead an expedition in the north against former number one, Isley's army. Recently the three abyssal ones are up to something…" and inhaled before speaking again, "Isley gathering up an army, Riful trying to gain allies by awakening Claymores and Luciela coming out of hiding. You have been given the job in leading this expedition. Make sure that you succeed in stopping Isley from progressing further south."

The cloaked figure smiled at number six's obvious frustration knowing well the true motives behind being sent to fight in the north before both of them went their own way.

~oOo~

A loud booming laughter filled the small hotel room. Helen was probably the only Claymore that has ever existed that laughs. Number twenty two chuckled hysterically while her best friend, Deneve, number 15 tried to calm her down.

"Shut up, please, Helen. It's not even that funny." Begged Deneve.

Unfortunately for her, the pleading was ignored as Helen continued to be her usual self, laughing, "Yes it is, after cutting off that then tripping over it, how isn't that funny? Even if you're a defensive type, but still, I mean, tripping over a still arm? How did you even get ranked so high" The two were continued to be partnered after the deadly fight against an awakened being with Clare, Miria. The two's friendship was extremely close, a rare occurrence in the world of Claymore.

The laughter suddenly stopped with a hitched breath as a single knock on the door was heard and the person behind the door opened it. The mood of the room suddenly flipped, and a heavy atmosphere was undeniably the set mood of the room now.

"I see you two have finished your mission. But now I have a new one for you. You people are to head north to the city of Pieta, there a war will be waged against Isley of the North. You will fight along other Claymores that have been sent there." The dark figure claimed before turning away and leaving.

For the organization to use the word "war" is serious business. Not extinguishing low-class yoma, but something that is a huge threat posed enough for the organization to take action, most likely awakened beings, because any amount of normal yoma is not a threat to Claymores.

Receiving their new mission, Helen and Devene had an early night, getting rest future tasks that lay ahead of them was a tedious one.

~oOo~

Riful looked at Clare with awe, as she excitedly swung her legs back and forth.

"What an intriguing change in events." Even without needed to be tested, Riful could sense the power animating from the once weak Claymore, and she wondered why, such a weak Claymore could awaken so strongly. "My, I'm so glad I didn't let Duph kill her."

Clare's piercing gaze looked at Jean, and before anyone noticed, Riful included, Jean let out a scream. Blood sprayed the floor beneath number nine, and followed by the plop of her left arm. When everyone came to their senses, they noticed a missing chunk on Jean's left shoulder which was now being devoured by Clare's awakened form.

To Clare's disappointment, the taste was in fact, gross. Spitting it out she disappeared from her current spot. A quick breeze followed Clare's invisible movement, which flowed towards the ruin's exit.

"Duph… we're going on a quick trip to that city we went to umm, last time," declared Riful with a stern voice, yet innocently scratching her head trying to remember the name of the place, "let's stop her before she destroys our human farm. You don't want to starve do you?"

"Nu-uh… let's go." Duph quickly replied, "I don't want to starve."

Now directing her speech at Jean, who was deeply panting and taking deep breaths, barely conscious and sweating due to the loss of her off-hand, "Please stay here, we will be right back. Really, I want you to join me." Ending her short speech, she climbed onto Duph's shoulder as the two walked out.

~oOo~

The eerie night showed the townsmen, townswomen and the children from the newly awakened being. Clare's mind was clouded by a fog so thick that she wasn't in a ration state of mind. The only thing that she could think of was satisfying her aching teeth that was yearning fresh meat, stop the imploding discomfort her growling stomach and mostly, rip something, some things, anything apart.

The poor pair of guards on patrol around the city walls was first to fall victim to Clare's wing like claws that neatly cut them up into strips that allowed her to devour them in a fairly clean way, of course that's ignoring the horizontal sprays of blood that decorated the city walls. Blood easily leaked from the veins and arteries that were cut. They didn't even time to have time to scream, and it's not like anyone could hear. But surely, two pair of horrified eyes caught the beast that roamed around their city. Clare was too busy devouring and enjoys the taste of sweet iron in her mouth to notice the secondary backup guards spot her.

"Yoma!" one screamed, and earning Clare's attention, then became seconds, but not before one managed to drop his torch, that started a blazing fire that slowly build up. As they were turning around, she dashed towards them with lightning speed, before she had her two of her bladed arms up the sides of one man's spine, before ripping it out and earning a dying cry. The other guard had one second more than the other man, but that was the timespan it took Clare to change targets, before reaching out with Irene's arm which latched onto the head before she crushed it, as both still falling to the ground from their death, she licked the pinkish substance that oozed between the clawed hand.

The town was instantly on guard as the reddish hue that glowed over the wall made it look like hell was on the other side. Clare effortlessly jumped over the walls landing on the roof of a building.

"Hurry!" the city mayor commanded all the males to fight the fire that threatened their town, unknowingly the true threat already infiltrated their town. "Quick! Stop the fire!" He rushed the people, before the fire got out of control.

Clare easily entered the house via the roof. A simple stomp and she was able to create a hole to drop down through.

The quiet whimper of the woman that inhibited the house was unheard as Clare beheaded her before she began to indulge in her new bloody meal. Using her wing like claws, she ripped open the ribcage before slowly tearing out the internal body parts, the body was continuously lifted as Clare hungrily tried to rip meat from the body and then giving a dull thud on the floor when the organs was finally separated from the woman's body.

Due to an irrational mind, the scene was left rather messy. Unable to think about anything other than food, Clare quickly moved from one prey to another. Even the children who were whimpering under their beds were not spared and couldn't hide from Clare's keen sense of smell. The children in fact had a more gruesome death, being eaten alive due to their inability to fight back.

Clare was playing with her food, impaling the little boy, around the age of six, in the leg with her barbed tail. The boy was hanging upside down with excessive blood dripping and gushing out of the wound. He cried and tried to grab onto the wound but when he tried to curl up and try easing the wound, the newly awakened being would use her numerous claws to keep him in place.

Eventually, the boy fainted due to the lack of blood, and distance yells of angry men in the courtyard could be heard. _They must have put out the fire_ she thought casually. The wreck was obvious, the houses nearing the walls where Clare entered were new all fallen debris, collapsing each of them when she was done with her meal for no other reason than exploiting her strength and her desire to destroy something.

"I found her!" shouted a voice, a rather familiar one. Duph quickly morphed to pin Clare down before a giant shaking sound rumbled through-out the town.

~oOo~

Jean was armless, but in a way she was grateful. By losing the arm, the chain that held her in position on one side was no longer effective, as well as the fact that the arm fell right under her, as well as Riful leaving. Jean was extremely lucky, yet unlucky.

Being overpowered by an awakened being, losing her team, then have the one that try to rescue her awake. The events happened so quickly that her mind had still yet to fully process it.

Being able break the chains from the roof which she was unable to do before with the presence of Riful, she was able to attach her limb. Although exhausted, Jean barely managed to find a way out of this labyrinth.

She had gotten out at the cost of four of her comrades. Not only will she mourn for the dead ones, but to pay back the debt for the one who in a way, did save her but at a high cost. And it was now her duty to free the Claymore who saved her from the insanity which consumed all awakened beings, Jean swore she would kill this Claymore.

Jean stumbled and eventually neared the borders of the forest. Finding a suitable resting place, she collapsed. First thing she would do when she gained enough energy to travel was to report this to the organisation and the death of her fellow Claymores.

~oOo~

The people of the quaking town who were outside saw a huge monster appearing from nowhere in their city, and strangely not focused on them.

Riful was excited and also irritated at the same time. No doubt rumours of her appearance will spread and she will be forced to move soon, contradicting the very reason why she was here in the first place.

_They already figured that an awakened was here, so why did I bother to stop Clare from devastating this city again?_ Riful wondered to herself before Duph grunted as he was sent airborne, obviously unable to contain Clare, so stopping her thoughts, she wrapped her bandage like appendages around both an anticipating Duph and a struggling Clare, before space around them twisted, distorted and whirled before the three disappeared, leaving the villagers scared, confused and curious as how something so monstrously big could just disappear like that.

The three re-appeared outside the ruins. Riful was normally a gentle person, but fresh footprints in the ground made her agitated. _This better be worth it_ she thought to herself before roughly dropping the two others that she held. Riful shrunk and morphed back into her normal child appearance as Duph waddled to her side while Clare was on her knees and with the only arm she had, clutched her head.

Clare was having a mental conflict. The sudden awakening had shocked her consciousness and the change was so unpredicted she lost all ability to think rationally. In the forest, where there was no blood or anything that smelt like prey, Clare's predator instincts were receding.

Slowly but surely, Clare's body began to shrink, similarly like Riful. The tail became shorter and shorter before it became almost non-existent. The diamond-chains began to also retreat back into the arm and her clawed side merged to form an arm.

At the end of the transformation, there was lone child, with the appearance before Clare became a Claymore.

* * *

><p>2nd Chapter. :3 not proof read fully yet. Its being beta-read by a kind reader atm. :)<p> 


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